“….. That to sing at dawn
…... And to sing at dusk
Was to heal the world through joy.
The birds still remember what we have forgotten
That the world was meant to be celebrated “
…. from the poem “when women were birds “ - Terry Tempest Williams
Over the past few decades I have had the blessing and privilege to work as a sculptor and artist here in North Carolina. The venues, personal patronage, public support and public works that have supported me were never taken for granted and were honored, respected and much appreciated by me and my family. We find ourselves at a crossroads. All the traditional and Non-traditional ways I have found to generate income through my art have evaporated or are being severely re-imagined, eliminated or modified. This website and the Birds on Perches I have been making and sharing here are my response to our current situation.
I have had a close affinity and working relationship with stone and marble birds for a number of years. My designs are stylized and archetypal, allowing the powerful grace of a birds wondrous natural design to become a vessel in which the natural beauty of stone, marble and onyx can find a new expressive voice.
Some of the birds I have made have been given to mark a joyful event : a wedding or anniversary, a notable birthday or graduation. They have also been created to memorialize and honor the memory a loved one’s life and passing, to reflect on the brief beauty of life and the flight of the soul cutting through the air above us, coming to rest on a near by branch or window sill.
Birds have been recognized and honored as ambassadors from the spirit realm for millennium. They embody peace, freedom, grace and strength. Angels, when they appear to be making a connection with us, often come in the form of birds. Lore, myth and spiritual beliefs express that birds represent or carry messages from deceased loved ones. They might appear in or near our homes, flitting across the road or trail in front of us, carrying the message or the spirit.
If we open our eyes and hearts to these bird inspired messages and your eye appreciates the form of my unique sculptures, perhaps it will encourage purchase of one of the Birds on Perches offered here. Share the gift of the message and the graceful beauty of the precious material and the hand made sculpted form. They can be a loving memorial to one who has passed, or an uplifting reminder of soaring unencumbered and gently coming to rest . They sing at dawn, they sing a dusk, reminding us to celebrate the world , celebrate the day.
- William Moore